RUMORS OF WAR: US intel community warns of ‘complex’ threats from China, Russia, and North Korea

The U.S. is expected to face a “complex” security environment and will need to work to confront two “critical” strategic challenges: rising powers, like China, seeking dominance in the global order, and challenges like climate change, which could “intersect” and intensify their national security implications, the U.S. intelligence community assessed.

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence on Wednesday released its 2023 annual threat assessment, which warned of threats against the U.S. posed by China, Russia, North Korea and Iran. It also warned of global challenges like climate change and evolving technologies that could have the potential to “disrupt” traditional business and society, while creating “unprecedented vulnerabilities.”

“These two strategic challenges will intersect and interact in unpredictable ways, leading to mutually reinforcing effects that could challenge our ability to respond, but that also will introduce new opportunities to forge collective action with allies and partners, including non-state actors,” the report states.

As for China, the U.S. intelligence community said the Chinese Communist Party will continue its efforts to make China the “preeminent power in East Asia and a major power on the world stage.”

Officials said that Chinese President Xi Jinping, in his third term, will work to press Taiwan on unification and will seek to “undercut U.S. influence” by driving “wedges between Washington and its partners.”

“At the same time, China’s leaders probably will seek opportunities to reduce tensions with Washington when they believe it suits their interests,” the report states.

The intelligence community warned that Beijing is “increasingly” combining its growing military power with its economic, technological, and diplomatic influence to “strengthen CCP rule, secure what it views as its sovereign territory and regional preeminence, and pursue global influence.”

With regard to Taiwan, the intelligence community warned that the PRC is using “coordinated, whole-of-government tools” as it seeks to assert sovereignty over Taiwan. Officials warned that China may build on its actions from 2022, and include more Taiwan Strait centerline crossings or missile overflights of Taiwan.

Officials also warned that if China succeed in gaining control over Taiwan, it would have “wide-ranging effects, including disruption to global supply chains for semiconductor chips because Taiwan dominates production of cutting-edge chips.”